Wichita eagle., 1887-04-19
DOWN TO THH BORDER.
An Eagle Correspondent Visits Kiowa
u.e.aI Correspondents wichita Eagle.

tho train, caused your correspondent se
cease conversation with Boston 1rishman
and glance hastily out the car window.
Before his vision, on high, gently rolling
prairie, where less than three years ago the
cattlemen occupying the Cherokee Strip,
encrouched upon the state of Kansas with
their herds. practically barring out the
settler. laid fine. young city. with farm
houses, fields of wheat, ground being
planted in corn, to the northwest and east
fit. To say your correspondent was sur
prised, hardly expresses his SEN
sations. In the fall Of 1871, In company
with Doc. Greenlee, Sam Hess, who now
lives on the Cowskin, and half dozen
others, he made trip from Wichita to the
Med icine Lodge, crossing pretty much
over the same route now followed by the
Fort Scott s. Wichita road. Crossing the
Ninnescah at Russell's ranch, where Clear
| water now is, we left all civilization be-
hind US. including Bill Ross, who had To-
Gated further up the creek on the north
side. From the crossing Of the Ninnescah
the route lay partly over the old cattle
trail, thence diverged almost direct
ly southwest over country ap-
parently barren and broken by
deep ravines, dry as powder-horn. with
an occasional strip of shallow water steal
ing sluggishly through the sand between
low banks on one side and red clay bluffs
on the other. The scenery was composed
of an occasional herd of long horns, few
buffalo, wild horse here and there, a
sneakirg coyote in the dim distance, the
skunk and the terrapin turning over
Chips" for bug which had taken shelter
under 1t for the moisture and shade at
forded. Once in while we could find the
rattler, decorated in his yellow and brown,
quietly stretched out enjoying the soft Sep
tember sunshine, patiently waiting for
gopher or prairie dog to put in
an appearance, totally uncon-
scio rs of the fact that he presented a splcn-
did mark for the eye Of the watchful hawk
or stray Eagle.
We finally landed On the south side OF
the Medicine, and set our stakes at place
abo ut seven miles west of the present Kio-
wa, called the place Kiowa and returned
home, after vainly endeavoring to find
even township corner rs starting point
to get our bearings from. Afterwards
We sent down small colony with stock
of goods, had a building put up
and made other improvements, but the
latter part of the following winter the fes-
tive Usage came and said "Puckachee"
and the outfit, not slow to take hint, es-
pecially when given by superior numbers,
silently stole back to the Queen OF the
Prairies.
How changed the scene now! Three
railroads bask in the sunshine in lieu OF the
rattler, and the iron horse has taken the
place of the bison and the cayote. The
long horn is still there, but toned down.
fat and sleek and as wild-eyed as Yankee
schoolmarm. Towns and villages have
sprung up, the church spire points heaven
ward, and lestwhilc the cupalo OF court
house or jail, those additional marks of an
advancing civilization can be seen.
Among all these evidences OF the rapid
advance made in tanning the wild west, |
know of none better than the beautiful
young city of Kiowa. Two years ago last
September the town was laid out by a
company composed principally Of men
connected with the Cherokee Strip Live
Stock Association. Being men of large
ideas, energetic and liberal they brought
others in to cooperate with them, and the
result Is city that new contains 1000 in
habitsnts, has several fine brick buildings,
two or three excellent hotels, fne brick
opera house, with three large stores filled
with goods on the gronnd floor, and law
and other offices up stairs. A first glance
at the brick buildings gives one an impress
sion the fronts are of pressed brick, but
a closer examination soon dispels that idea
and it is soon discovered they are Of home
manufacture To make long story short
on the brick question. it Is fact Kiowa
and vicinity has clay for brick. Making
unexcelled by any other part of Kansas.
| believe If some enterprising brick maker
would look over the ground With two
railroads from there to Wichita, and land
cheap, he would fnd 1t advantageous to
locate at Kiowa.
The character of the frame business
houses in the city are far superior to what
we could boast in Wichita ten years ago,
while the stocks of goods they contain
cannot be excelled. il sQualled by any
other place Of Its age and size IN the state.
As evidence Of the enterprise of
the Kiowans, it will be well
to state here that they are about finishing
up $4,000 brick school house. capable
of accommodating 400 children, and con
tain ing all the modern appliances for the
comfort and convenience Of the dear little
ones That fac, alone tells better than
anything your correspondent can say OF
the character Of the people managing the
destinies Of the city.
About the country surrounding kiowa
have only this to say, 1t is excellent in
every particular South, OF course lie:
that great barrier, the Cherokee strip
North west and east are fine agriculturs